How Do Labels and Vouchers Shape Unconditional Cash Transfers? Experimental Evidence from Georgia

Miguel Ángel Borrella-Mas (), Jaime Millán-Quijano () and Anastasia Terskaya ()
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Miguel Ángel Borrella-Mas: Universidad de Navarra
Jaime Millán-Quijano: Universidad de Navarra & CEMR
Anastasia Terskaya: Universitat de Barcelona & IEB

No 2023/09, Working Papers from Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB)

Abstract: We implemented a randomized control trial in Georgia to study how labels and food vouchers affect household expenditure among low-income recipients of unconditional cash transfers. Households were randomly assigned to receive only an unconditional cash transfer, a label indicating an amount intended for children’s expenses in addition to the transfer, or a portion of the transfer as a food voucher usable exclusively at designated stores. We find that labelling increases the share of expenditure on children. Meanwhile, food vouchers reduce total consumption, this being likely due to the increased cost associated with shopping at voucher-accepting shops.

Keywords: Cash transfers; Labeling effect; Food vouchers; Randomized control trial (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D04 I24 I38 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2023
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-exp, nep-mac and nep-tra
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ieb:wpaper:doc2023-09

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